BRUSSELS, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) defense ministers agreed Monday to launch an air fleet to meet transportation shortfalls.

    Twelve EU member states signed a declaration of intent on participation in the initiative, which may later attract eight more countries, French Defense Minister Herve Morin told reporter safter a meeting of the EU defense ministers.

    The 12 countries that signed the document included Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.

    The air fleet aims to reduce EU transportation shortfalls by pooling aircraft such as Airbus A400Ms and Lockheed C130s. Participation can take different forms including making aircraft available, purchasing, providing or exchanging flying hours or providing and benefiting from shared and/or pooled support functions, such as training and maintenance.

    The ministers expect that the fleet, to be launched in the first half of 2009, can reach initial operational capability by the next decade.